Introduction
- Conditions in Southern India became favorable to foreign adventurers due to the absence of central authority after the deaths of Aurangzeb (1707) and Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah (1748).
- Maratha chiefs, in their quest for tax collection, regularly invaded Hyderabad and other parts of the South.
- The lack of central power provided an opportunity for foreign powers to expand their political influence and control over South Indian states.
- From 1744 to 1763, the French and English engaged in a bitter war for supremacy in trade, wealth, and territory in India.
- The French East India Company, founded in 1664, saw rapid progress and fierce competition with the English Company. It established itself in Chandernagore near Calcutta and Pondicherry on the East Coast, along with other factories on both coasts and control over islands like Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
- Heavily reliant on the French Government, the company received grants, subsidies, and loans. The government’s control increased, appointing directors after 1723.
- The French state, autocratic and semi-feudal, faced corruption, inefficiency, and instability, proving detrimental to the company’s interests.
- In 1742, war erupted between France and England in Europe, driven by rivalry over American colonies and trade competition in India.
- The Anglo-French conflict in India lasted nearly two decades, ultimately establishing British power.
- The English Company, wealthier and superior in trade and naval strength, captured French ships off the South-east coast of India in 1745, posing a threat to Pondicherry.
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Dupleix
- Dupleix, the French Governor-General at Pondicherry, displayed exceptional statesmanship and imagination, leading the French to occupy Madras in 1746.
- Defeated by France, the British sought help from the Nawab of Carnatic, and a clash ensued between the Nawab’s forces and a smaller French contingent at St. Thorne, revealing Western military superiority.
- In 1748, as part of a peace settlement, Madras was returned to the English.
- In the Carnatic, Chanda Sahib conspired against Nawab Anwaruddin, while in Hyderabad, civil war erupted after the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk.
- Dupleix formed a secret alliance with Chanda Sahib and Muzaffar Jang, leading to Anwaruddin’s defeat in 1749 and Chanda Sahib’s control over Carnatic.
- Nasir Jung’s death in Hyderabad led to Muzaffar Jang becoming the Nizam, and the French were rewarded with territories near Pondicherry.
- Bussy, a French officer, was stationed at Hyderabad to maintain French influence.
- British support for Muhammad Ali against French-backed Nasir Jung and Muhammad Ali’s siege at Trichinopoly prompted Robert Clive to capture Arcot in 1750 with a small force.
- Despite Dupleix’s efforts, the French Government, facing financial strain, recalled him in 1754.
- Another war erupted in 1756, and the French attempt to oust the English failed, leading to the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760, where the English defeated Lally.
- The Treaty of Paris in 1763 restored French factories in India but limited them to trade centers, living under British protection.
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The English learned a few important and valuable lessons during their struggle with the French and their Indian allies.
- Exploitation of Indian Rulers’ Quarrels: The English advanced their political agendas by taking advantage of the mutual quarrels among Indian rulers, exploiting the absence of nationalism in the country.
- Superiority of Western Trained Infantry: The demonstration that Western-trained infantry, whether European or Indian, equipped with modern weapons and supported by artillery, could easily defeat traditional Indian armies in pitched battles.
- Indian soldiers, trained and armed in the European manner, demonstrated an equal capability to their European counterparts. Anyone offering suitable compensation could hire and employ Indian soldiers due to the absence of a strong sense of national identity among them.
- Formation of a Powerful Army: The English initiated an era of wars and territorial expansion, utilizing the vast resources of Indian trade and territories under their command. English officers led a formidable army composed of Indian soldiers known as sepoys, serving as the primary weapon in this endeavor.
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